Road treating machine



July 7, 1953 7 a. E. HAWKINS 2,644,377

- ROAD'TREATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Shea; 1

Filed Dec. 4, 1946 y 7, 1953 G.VE. HAWKINS 2,644,377

I I ROAD TREATING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 7, 19.53 5. E. HAWKINS ROAD TREATING- MACHINE s sneet-shet ,5

Filed Dec. 4, 1946 Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROAD TREATING MACHINE George E. Hawkins, Dummerston, Vt. Application Decem er 4, 1946, Serial No. 713,860

5 Claims.

This invention relates to the general class of road treating machines, and has particular relation to machines operative in the maintenance of roads of the bituminous type, although it may be employed with roads of other-types, the machine being adapted to thoroughly mix and evenly distribute the bitumen and aggregates after their application to the roadbed to provide a smooth riding surface.

Under prior practice, this operation of mixing character of these areas provide unsatisfactory spots in the treated surface.

The present invention is designed broadly to produce the mixing and contouring operations by the use of a single machine, with such machine capable of not only properly mixing the materials in the level and even road surface areas, but also within the depressions and small broken patches so that the entire surface becomes practically finished. The mixing and contouring op-'- erations are provided during travel of the machine, with the latter formed so that the operator produces the desired effect by first advancing along a margin of the road, then' returning along the opposite margin, after which the machine advances within the intermediate zone between the margins.v .Themachine structure is such as to treat a zone of approximately six feet in width, so that such treatment will accurately condition aroad of approximately eighteen feet in width. If: the road is of wider width, it is necessary only to add one or more additional advancing activities to the three referrred to. It has been found that the cost of thus preparing the road ispractically reduced 50% as compared with the costs under prior'practices.

.To produce these results, my invention presents three individual formations arranged for successivedealing with the materials of the road surface. These structures have one characteristicin common, in'that their direction of length extends angular to the line of draft of the machine,'the first and second extending in paral- .extend in parallelism, include spring teeth and are thus able to meet the conditions of theroad surface, the teeth readily passing into depressions or isolated patches and are therefore given similar treatment to the level surfaces. The teeth of the first structure are spaced apart to a small extent so that a major portion of the road 'surface within the length of the particular structure is given desired treatment, without, how-- ever, forcing the material in front of the structure to be completely carried to the rear end thereof, the tooth spacing permitting escape of minor portions to the rear of the structure. The second structure is likewise of the spring tooth type, but presenting a materially less number of teeth, and with the free ends of the teeth arranged in groups, through'the connection of a predetermined number with a plate orblade surface with the result that the second structure presents a succession of spring supported plates which are active for mixing purposes on the material which has passed by the first structure and at the same time clear the roadbed to receive the surface.

The third structure is a plate or blade which extends at the opposite angle from those of the first and second structures, the machine permittin adjustment in height as between the ends of such blade. As a result, the initial contact of the blade with the material'which has been prepared by the first and second structures and which was thoroughly mixed by the latter, will be gradually advanced and also moved laterally as the machine advances, this plate serving morestore them to the roadbed and at the same time I produce the distribution and contour effect; any

excess is caused to shift along the blade sufiiciently to pass beyond the rear end of the blade and be left as a residue in a central zone of the road. Since, at this time, the blade preferably extends inclined to the horizontal, the blade will tend to produce the desired camber effect on the road. Obviously, when the machine advances in the reverse direction in the other marginal zone, a similar result will be produced for that side of the road, any residue being taken to the central zone. By then adjusting the blade for a horizontal height, the third advance will Cause the central zone to be smoothed out and the complete camber for the road thereby provided.

To these and other ends, therefore, the nature of which will be more clearly understood as theinvention is hereinafter disclosed, said invention consists in the improved construction and com bination of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which simi lay reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views:

Figure 1 is a plan view -of the machine. in accord with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a detail elevation of a portion of the frame'shown as viewed from line 2 -2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig, 1;

Figure e is a view partly in section and partly in elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 but being on a somewhat enlarged scale, the quadrant being omitted;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the traction hitch;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. l, the view being taken in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in perspective taken from line 99 of Fig. 1;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view taken on line H!lil of Fig. 8; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line ll ll of Fig. l.

The machine of the present invention is formed with a skeleton frame l5 which is generally rectangular in contour but varied therefrom at points to meet the conditions of the structures being carried thereby, the frame having a vertical height of suitable dimensions, sufiicient to provide for the mounting of the elements, as presently described. The front end l5a of the frame is provided with a suitable traction connection IE, to permit attachment of the machine to a suitable traction structure of any desired type, the element 16 tending to set up characteristics of the trailer structure of a tractor-trailer combination. Wheels ll are mounted to project beyond the opposite sides of the frame and located at a point where the machine assembly is more or less balanced, the construction thus having somewhat or the characteristics of a twowheeled trailer.

The first and second structures heretofore referred to are mounted within the frame, each 4 of these being mounted at an angle of approximately 45 to the line of draft.

The first structure-which is being referred to as the leading barconstitutes the primary aggregate mixing unit and comprises an angle iron bar or member 18, this bar being approximately six feet in length with a general cross section of approximately three inches by three inches; if desired, it may be of hollow formation and formed of one-half inch metal. The ends of the bar have suitable pintl'es i801. welded or otherwise secured thereto, the latter being mounted in bearings carried by the opposite sides of the, frame, the bar extending at an angle of approximately 45 to the line of draft.

The bar l8 carries a plurality of spring teeth 19 which are of the general type employed in connection with narrow service, with the exception that the free ends are blunt, each tooth being of spring metal of a desired length and curved rearward'ly anddownwardly, the cross sectional di-- mensions of each tooth presenting the width as of; approximately two inches and the thickness as of one-quarter inch, being formed of high carbon spring steel, The front ends of the teeth I9 are secured to a face of the bar I8 at spaced apart distances of approximately one-shalt inch, by a flat bar 20, the ends of the teeth being mounted between the fiat bar 20 and bar It and secured in position by bolts connecting the two bars.

The pintle mounting of bar l8 permits the bar to be rotated, thus enabling the teeth to be moved between a service position in which the teeth yieldingly engage the road aggregate, and a raised position which is used during transportation of the machine while inactive. The two sitions are controlled by lever 21 carried by barl8 and which has its free end pivotally connected with a connection 22 carried by an operating handle 23 itself carried bythe bar of the second structure, presently referred to, and which is 'de signed to shift both structures concurrently between the service inactive positions.

Assuming the teeth of the leading structure are.

in service position, the operating handle 23 will cause the teeth to be placed under a slight ten! sion, so that a forward draft. of the machine will cause the teeth to engage the layers of bitumen and aggregate, preferably creating spaced -fur-. rows within the layers with the springiness of the teeth being effective to cause them to also traverse any depressions or small patches, as well as tending to stir up the particles of the layers causing them to become coated with the bitumen material. In addition, the inclination of bar It, will tend. to cause particle movement toward the rearwardly displaced end zone of the bar, and since the teeth of the assembly are spaced apart. the portions of the layers located between teeth will pass between adjacent teeth. As a result, the advance of the machine will cause the portions of the aggregate layer in advance of the individual teeth, to be broken u into more or less individual particle members, some of which may pass tothe rear of the; advancing teeth through such spaces, with the ribs between fur= rows, the remainder passing laterally to the rear-. wardly disposed end of such leading structure, and into a windrow formation produced at the side of the machine, the particles thus becoming mixed and also receiving the bitumen coating.

structurally, the second bar structure has many of the characteristics of the leading unit, and corresponding parts bear similar reference of service.

aeegavtr characters. The number of teeth of the inter mediate unit are greatly reduced and positioned with materially increased -spacing generally, twelve teeth are utilized with the teeth spaced a distance of approximatey six inches. Also, the

free ends of the teeth carry laterally-extending blades 25, these being of suitable width and each having a length dimension such as to extend over and be secured to a plurality of adjacent teethgenerally three teeth-to thereby provide a sue of length of the unit, and with such group blades capable of yielding. Hence, the assemblage is capable of producing the admixing activities upon such ingredients as have passed through the leading unit spaces in a manner similar to that of the leading unit, excepting that the action is by group activity of blades rather than the in dividual teethactivity of the leading imit, in addition to which the continuity effect acts to shift all residue of the ingredients in completely admixed condition from the roadbed to the windrow formation that was begun by the leading unit, thus completely clearing the roadbed.

The lever 23 is carried by bar 18 of the inter mediate unit, and has connection with the bar l8 through the connections previously described. The lever cooperates with a quadrant 24, so that both units can be rocked on their pivots concurrently and the quadrant is so arranged that with the teeth of both units in contact with the road surface they are placed under tension, thus providing for teeth and blade yielding and permitting tooth and blade entry into depressions, etc.

The second structure is designed for a dual purpose. The'leading unit treats the allocated ingredients by dealing with a major portion of these through the furrow-producing activities above described. Hence a certain portion of the untreated ingredients passes through the teeth of the first unit in the form of rib-like formations. one of the purposes of the second bar and its group blade is, therefore, to admix this residue from the first unit and to carry such admixture to the windrow formation produced by the leading unit. As a result, the roadbed is thus left clear of the ingredients--with the latter in admixed form located in the windrow formation and presents the roadbed in proper condition to serve as the base upon which the road surface is to be produced, this service being provided by the intermediate unit.

The" aggregates thus shifted to the windrow formation of the marginal zone are then subjected to the action of the trailing unit which is located in rear of but connected to the frame l5.

rear of the frame in such manner that each arm can be swung through an arc. The arms, indicated at 21, differ as to length, the arrangement being such thatrthe blade .26, when in its service position will extend across the path of travel of the machine and with thedirection of length of the blade at an opposite inclination to the line of draft with respect to bars 18 and I8. Hence, as the machine advances, the aggregates which are collectedin windrow formation at an end of the first and second structures will be icked up by this blade 26 and be shifted back upon the road surface, due to such angularity of the blade.

And since the lower edge of the blade is continuous from endto end and is substantially straight, it is apparent that as the machine advances, the aggregates are distributed to practically a uniform depth onto the road surface, any

excess passing beyond the rearward end of the blade.

The lever arms 2? differ as to length, these arms having their outer ends suitably connected, with the section or blade support 26a. The op' posite ends of these arms 2? are pivotally secured to the rear of frame l5, each arm having its Y individual pivot, but with such pivots having their axes extending in parallelism, due to the angularity of their bearing supports.

The feature of this third structure is that of a solid blade 26 which not only extends the full width of the machine but preferably a distance beyond such width soas to provide projectingzones; The blade 2E may be, and preferably is, formed sectional in the direction of its width,

is connected with the rear of the frame by a plu- The upper section,'indicated at 26a,

rality of spaced apart lever arms secured thereto" avin .ihiifierrereeeds serb ridliri g;

Generally, three such arms areemployed, one being located in the end zone of the bar which is nearest the frame; aseoond extends from the opposite side zone of the frame and hence is se cured to the support 2611 toward the opposite end of the blade, the position, however, being more remote from the latter end of the bar than the position of the first mentioned arm relative to the opposite end of the blade. This difference is due to the fact that in view ofthe parallel pivot axes of the arms, the arms extend in parallelism while the blade itself extends angularly to such parallel axes. To provide a support for such end zone, an auxiliary arm 27a is secured to the inner side of support 25a adjacent such and and has its opposite end pivotally connected to the adjacent arm 2?, sothat both arms practically move together, in such manner as to permit proper automatic adjustment of arm 2111 when the working edge of the blade has been moved into a plane inclined to the horizontal for service activity. The third arm '2"! is mounted at a point intermediate the two end pivoted arms.

To provide the proper controllable movement to these arms 21, a pair of supplemental lever arms 3| are utilized, each of which is connected with'a shaft 29 individual to itself, with each shaft mounted in brackets 28 carried bythe rear of the frame. These armslil are respectively positioned above the arms 21 which 'approximately represent'the opposite end zones of blade 26, each arm 3| being connected to its arms 2'? by a link connection 32:. Shafts 29, although individuaL'have' their axes in 'alinement, with such axes located a material distance above the axes of the several arms 21.

Shafts 29 are shown, as of extended length, this being arranged as a, matter of convenience in providing the operating structures for the indivi'clual" shafts. Eachshaft'carries an upstanding lever 33 which is operatively connected with a handle or operating lever 30 pivotally mounted on a platform 34 of the frame, the leverand handle being operatively connected by a connection 35. Since the shafts 29 are individual, sep arate operating connections for each are proii ff ee ih il amlle ii reada e WP? 9 7. operative with a quadrant 36 also mounted on the platform 34. This permits individual controllable and adjusted movements of the handles.

As will be understood, the arrangement just described will permit individual adjustment of handles 38 with corresponding adjustment'of the lever arms 3| through the connections described, the adjustment being carried to the arms 21 through the links 32. Since only two'of'the arms 2'! are thus connected with the handles and these arms are Widely separated, it will be understood that one arm can change the positionof one end of the blade relative to the horizontal to a degree or extent different from that of the other end, thus making possible the shifting of the working edge of the blade between -a horizontal position and a position in which the edge is imclined to the horizontal.

Since the platform 34 is so arrangedas to permit ready operation of handle 23 therefrom, it Will be understood that the operation of the entire machine iscompIetelyunder the control of the operator upon platform 34, it being under= stood, of course, that since the machine is being drawn by a separate traction device, his control does not reach to the latter.

It can be seen, therefore, that the present ma= chine includes three individual units supported by the frame atcertain specified angles whereby the leading and intermediate units eitectively and thoroughly mix the bitumen and aggregates and position such ingredients in a windrow at the side of the machine, thereby clearing the roadbed, so to speak, after which the trailing unit will move the mixed ingredients from the windrow over the roadbed in a smooth, uniform manner. This operation is automatically efiected upon movement of the machine and the bitumen and aggregates are treated in situ after their individual application to the roadbed.

The structural features of the intermediate unit will insure that all of the particles which may have escaped through the teeth of the first unit will be subjected to'the blade action of the intermediate unit to thoroughly admix such particles and move them to the windrow produced by the first unit. Furthermore, the intermediate unit will clear the roadbed of the mixture, and in view of the speed of the machine, the windrow is rapidly formed, which means that the heated bitumen retains much of its melted condition during the initial stages of the road conditioning.

The trailing unit will then immediately initiate its distributing action on the ingredients to move the mixed ingredients once again on the roadbed area being treated to provide the smooth uniform surface.

In connection with the trailing unit, it should be mentioned that as the machine is traveling one of the side margins of the road, the working edge of the blade isset at the properfangle relative to the horizontal to provide the'necessary camber conformation and the thickness of the layer to be applied. or course after the machine has traveled thefde'sired distance, it is moved to the marginal zone at the opposite side of the road in a reversed position and a similar sequence of operation follows.

If, for'example, the road is of greater width than the two marginal zones, the machine will be returned to the original starting point, again reversed and located for operation upon the intermediate Zone. However, in this situation, the blade 26-is readjusted to place the working edge in horizontalposition and" at the proper level 8 through the manipulation of the levers 30. While the individual units function in the manner above indicated, it will be noted that the exposed face of the blade 26 is in a horizontal plane instead of having thesloping formation produced when goriiditioning the two marginal zones of the road- In situations where the width of the road is such that it cannot be effectively treated by the three steps referred'to, the same steps are continued with the final advance of the machine being through the central area of the roadbed.

As will be understood, the machine structure is of simplified type, readily produced and at compar-tively low cost; its weight-approximately 1000 lbs, --is sufficiently heavy to assure the desired results, but is of light-Weight type as compared with the structures heeded to produce the results under prior commercialpractice; and is under complete control of the operator .and with minimum operating costs.

While'l have herein disclosed a preferred embodiment of the machine, it will be readily "understood that changes and/or modifications therein may be found desirable or essential in meeting the various exigencies of service or the individual desires of a user; I therefore reserve the right to make any and 'all such changes or modifications therein so deemed desirable or essentia1 insofar as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims, when broadly construed.

I claim:

i. In a machine for treating a roadbed upon which bitumen and aggregates have been deposited, a wheeled frame, a support mounted on said frame and extending transversely thereof at an acute angle to the line of draft of the frame, a plurality of spaced spring teeth secured to and depending from said support for engagement with the bitumen and aggregates, a second support mounted on the frame .rearwardly of the nrst named support and extending transversely of the frame in substantial parallelism to the first named support, a plurality of spaced spring teeth secured to and depending from said last named support, the teeth on said last named support being spaced apart a greater distance than the teeth on the first named support, a plurality of blades carried by the free end of the teeth on the second named support with a blade connectmg a group of adjacent teeth, the length of each blade being such as to provide an overlapping of the ends of adjacent blades to present a flexible working edge extending throughout the length. of the second named support, and an imperforate distributing member mounted on the frame rearwardly'ofsaid first and second named supports extending transversely of the frame at an acute angle opposite to the angles of the first and second named supports, the imperforate distributing member being of such length as to extend beyond the outer extremities of said first and second named supports whereby during movement of the frame along the roadbed the teeth on the first named support will admix and move a portion of the bitumen and aggregates towardone end of the first named support to produce a windrow, the residue of the bitumen and aggregates being admixed and moved by the blades on said second named support toward the windrow formed by the. first named teeth, and the said distributing member being adapted to move the admixed bitumen and 9 aggregates from the windrow upon the roadbed in a smooth even manner.

2. A roadbed treating machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said first and second named supports are mounted on the frame in parallel relationship.

3. A roadbed treating machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second named supports extend transversely of the frame in parallel relationship to the frame at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the line ofdraft of the frame. v

4. A roadbed treating machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second named supports are pivotally mounted on the frame for movement about a horizontal axis, a linkage operatively connected with the said supports, and

lever means connected with said linkage tosimultaneously move said supports about their pivots.

5. A roadbed treating machine asclaimed in claim 4 wherein said distributing member is pivotally mounted to the rear of said wheeled frame for movement about a horizontal axis, and lever means operatively connected with said distributing member to move said member.

GEORGE E..HAWKINS.'

References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 796,813 Collyer Aug. 8, 1905 1,371,839 Bartell et al. Mar. 15, 1921 1,913,897 Porterfield June 13, 1933 1,936,327 De Wind et al Jan. 1, 1935 1,995,267 Pease Mar. 19, 1935 2,179,683 Wilson V;. Nov. 14, 1939 2,222,840 Holmes Nov. 26, 1940 

